In the Neuquén province, three drowning deaths were recorded In the few days that have passed since then 2023in the region the number amounts to seven. The reasons for the facts are different, but they all have the common denominator that occurred in non-enabled areas to take a bath.
Los three cases in the province They were on the Limay River, another on the Neuquén River, and the third on Lake Moquehue. The Undersecretary of Civil Defense and Citizen Protection, Martin Giustisaid that generally suffocation by immersion occurs due to ignorance of the placefor bathing in unauthorized areas and without lifeguards, and for not knowing how to swim.
In the city of Neuquén there have been no drownings, at least in lThe almost 14 kilometers of the Limay River that covered by lifeguards. But it did register Lots of saves and assists.
In the city of Neuquén there were no drownings, so except in the almost 14 kilometers of the Limay River They are covered by lifeguards. but it did register a lot of ransoms and assists.
In the In the first two weeks of the year, more than 150 rescues were carried out. They respond to the call for help because they are in a drowning situation. Willy Castro is a lifeguard at the Sandra Canale spa and said that they have come to have nine rescues per day. “There is a lot of imprudence from people who approach the river and 80% of the people we rescue are children,” she specified.
One of the most recurrent examples is that of the boys jumping off the bridge that joins the Canal Grande resort with Isla 132, the Paseo de la Costa. “They are children between the ages of 12 and 17, we call them to attention but they don’t even pay attention to the police”, recounted the lifeguard.
Most lifeguards agree that children are the most frequent victims of distractions. “We ask parents to take action on the matter with children and young people so that they stop with this activity, you have to have respect for the river,” Castro requested.
told that many times drownings or rescues result from not knowing how to swimboth children and adults, and that the trust plays a trick. “They think that the river is low and actually has different depths with wells up to four meters,” he mentioned.
Another of the causes of the rescues is what Willy called “thermal shock”. “This river is very cold and if we come with a very high body temperature and enter the water, that can give us hydrocution, a thermal shock,” he explained.
Gabriel Lambrado, the director of Beach Safety for the municipality of Neuquén, recounted that 363 assists were made in these two weeks of January. “It’s what we call to listen”, he mentioned. “It is regarding the group that tries to cross the river, half of them regret it and want to return, so we accompany them and warn them that it is dangerous,” he explained.
How lifeguards work in lakes and rivers in Neuquén
There are 144 lifeguards on the Limay coast who They rotate every week. The area is controlled by the nautical area, which uses four high displacement jet skis and two semi-rigids. “With that we patrol all the kilometers of Limay,” Lambrado said.
Willy Castro added that there is also a quadricycle that goes by land and that the lifeguards also take care of what happens on the coast, and not only in the river. There are wounded by cuts, assistance to people who runs out of air and even some people suffer pre-infarcts, and together with the Health personnel they act quickly.
At the Sandra Canale spa the most dangerous areas son between Isla Verde and Gatica street, and also you have to be careful with the holes.
Then, as Lambrado reported, the zones not enabled van from Anaya street to Saavedra, where many people attend and there are no lifeguards. And then passing Linares, that is, following the mutual BPN towards the viewpoint.
“The latter is the area that we emphasize the most and more we patrol because it is longer than the previous one, which is still dangerous, deep and current”, said the director of Beach Security.
Lambrado clarified that the Neuquén River is not authorized to bathe, since there are no spas or infrastructure.
Some recommendations when going to the rivers or lakes
The Secretary of Civil Defense and Citizen Protection, Martín Giusti, and the lifeguard Willy Castro, gave some recommendations. First of all, bathe in authorized water mirrors, respect the rivers mighty y not trust of the depth.
Respect the notices found in coastal areas is of the utmost importance, as are the directions from staff.
In the lakes don’t stay on cliffs and do not use their projections for shade. So too be careful when entering when the water is very cold, so as not to have a thermal shock.
recommend do not enter the water if alcohol was ingested and neither do it during the night.
Indispensable to stay always close to minors, Be careful and keep an eye on them.
Last but not least, be always hydrated in the face of high temperatures and use creams that decrease the reception of rays solar.
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